Composition for post chemical-mechanical-polishing cleaning

ABSTRACT

Described is a post chemical-mechanical-polishing (post-CMP) cleaning composition comprising or consisting of: (A) one or more nonionic polymers selected from the group consisting of poly-acrylamides, polyhydroxyethyl(meth)acrylates (PHE(M)A), polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polymers of formula (I), and mixtures thereof, wherein R1 is hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, iso-propyl, n-butyl, iso-butyl, or sec-butyl, R2 is hydrogen or methyl, and n is an integer, (B) poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) or acrylic acid-maleic acid copolymer with a mass average molar mass (Mw) of up to 10,000 g/mol, and (C) water, wherein the pH of the composition is in the range of from 7.0 to 10.5.

The present invention relates to a post chemical-mechanical-polishing (abbreviated as post-CMP) cleaning composition comprising a specific poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) or acrylic acid-maleic acid copolymer), to a use of a composition according to the present invention as cobalt post chemical-mechanical-polishing cleaner and/or for cleaning a substrate comprising cobalt, and to a process for the manufacture of a semiconductor device from a semiconductor substrate comprising the step of removing residues and contaminants from the surface of the semiconductor substrate by contacting it at least once with a cleaning composition according to the present invention.

The fabrication of electrical materials and devices, in particular, semiconductor integrated circuits (ICs); liquid crystal panels; organic electroluminescent panels; printed circuit boards; micro machines; DNA chips; micro plants and magnetic heads; preferably ICs with LSI (large-scale integration) or VLSI (very-large-scale integration); as well as optical devices, in particular, optical glasses such as photo-masks, lenses and prisms; inorganic electro-conductive films such as indium tin oxide (ITO); optical integrated circuits; optical switching elements; optical waveguides; optical monocrystals such as the end faces of optical fibers and scintillators; solid laser monocrystals; sapphire substrates for blue laser LEDs; semiconductor monocrystals; and glass substrates for magnetic disks; requires high precision methods which involve inter alia surface preparation, pre-plaiting cleaning, post-etch cleaning and/or post chemical-mechanical-polishing cleaning steps using high-purity cleaning compositions.

Particular care has to be taken in the fabrication of ICs with LSI or VLSI. The semiconductor wafers used for this purpose include a semiconductor substrate such as silicon, into which regions are patterned for the deposition of different materials having electrically insulative, conductive or semiconductive properties.

In order to obtain the correct patterning, excess material used in manufacturing the various layers on the substrates must be removed. Further, to fabricate functional and reliable ICs, it is important to have flat or planar semiconductor wafer surfaces. Thus, it is necessary to remove and/or polish certain surfaces of a semiconductor wafers during the fabrication of the ICs before carrying out the next process steps.

In the semiconductor industry, chemical-mechanical-polishing (abbreviated as CMP) is a well-known technology applied in the treatment of semiconductor wafers for fabricating electrical materials and devices.

During the fabrication of materials and devices used in the semiconductor industry, CMP is employed to planarize metal and/or oxide surfaces. CMP utilizes the interplay of chemical and mechanical action to achieve the planarity of the surfaces to be polished. The CMP process itself typically involves holding and rotating a thin, flat (e.g. patterned) substrate of the semiconductor device against a wetted polishing pad under controlled pressure and temperature in the presence of CMP slurries. The CMP slurries contain abrasive materials and various chemical additives as appropriate to the specific CMP process and requirements. At the end of the CMP process, contaminants and residues comprising particles from the CMP slurries, added chemicals, and reaction by-products remain on the polished substrate surface. These contaminants and residues that are left on the substrates after CMP processing can also include corrosion inhibitor compounds such as benzotriazole (BTA), which can—if, for example, the metal ion concentration exceeds the maximum solubility of the metal-inhibitor complexes during CMP—precipitate from solution and coagulate such that a coagulated corrosion inhibitor surface residue is formed.

Recent improvements in wafer processing and fabrication have led to the use of new materials,—especially metals and metal alloys—for the microelectronic device fabrication. For example, conventional barrier layer materials have been replaced with cobalt (Co) and cobalt alloys in integrated circuits to reduce the thickness of the layer and the size of the integrated circuits. Another approach is to use Cobalt as new plug material in integrated circuits. As these new cobalt containing or cobalt alloy layers and plugs are introduced, there is a demand in industry for post-CMP removal compositions which are capable of removing the post-CMP residue and contaminants (including said precipitated corrosion inhibitors) without deleteriously affecting said new cobalt layer materials.

It is important that all residues and contaminants are removed prior to any further steps in the microelectronic device fabrication process to avoid degradation of the device reliability and introduction of defects into the microelectronic devices during their manufacturing.

In the state of the art, (post-CMP) cleaning compositions are known and described, for instance, in the following references:

U.S. Pat. No. 7,851,426 B1 discloses a cleaning liquid used in a cleaning step of a semiconductor device post-CMP comprising a polycarboxylic acid, an anionic surfactant having an aromatic ring structure in a molecule, a polymer compound having an acidic group on a side chain, and a polyethylene glycol, wherein the cleaning liquid has a pH of 5 or less.

US 2009/0056744 A1 discloses a method of cleaning a semiconductor wafer of organic deposit resulting from an abrasive process, comprising exposing a hydrophobic surface of a semiconductor wafer to a cleaning solution which is substantially free of ammonia and comprises an oxidizing agent and at least one polycarboxylate surfactant.

WO 2013/123317 A1 discloses a composition for cleaning residue and contaminants from a surface, wherein said composition comprises at least one oxidizing agent, at least one complexing agent, at least one basic compound, at least one buffering agent, and water.

JP2009-069505 A discloses a cleaning solution for the cleaning of aluminium containing substrates comprising a combination of ingredients including a basic substance such as sodium hydroxide, an alkaline earth metal salt such as calcium chloride, polyacrylic acids, and water.

One of the objects of the present invention was to provide post-CMP compositions that are capable of substantially and efficiently removing post-CMP residues and contaminants especially from a substrate that contains or consists of cobalt or cobalt alloys (e.g. cobalt as part of a layer or as plug) without deleteriously affecting the electrical materials and devices, especially without deleteriously affecting semiconductor integrated circuits.

Furthermore, one of the objects of the present invention was to provide a post-CMP composition which is environmentally benign and easy to use.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a post chemical-mechanical-polishing (post-CMP) cleaning composition is provided comprising or consisting of:

-   (A) one or more nonionic polymers selected from the group consisting     of polyacrylamides, polyhydroxyethyl(meth)acrylates (PHE(M)A),     polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polymers of     formula (I) (in particular including polypropylene oxides (PPO),     polypropylene glycols, polyethylene oxides (PEO), and polyethylene     glycols (PEG)) and mixtures thereof,

-   -   wherein R₁ is hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, iso-propyl,         n-butyl, iso-butyl, or sec-butyl, R₂ is hydrogen or methyl, and         n is an integer,

-   (B) poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) or acrylic acid-maleic acid copolymer     with a mass average molar mass (Mw) of up to 10,000 g/mol, and

-   (C) water,

wherein the pH of the composition is in the range of from 7.0 to 10.5.

In view of the prior art discussed above, it was surprising and could not be expected by the skilled person in the art that the objects underlying the present invention could be solved by the cleaning composition according to the invention.

It was surprisingly found that the cleaning compositions according to the invention are capable of substantially and efficiently removing post-CMP residues and contaminants especially from a substrate that contains or consists of cobalt or cobalt alloys without deleteriously affecting the electrical materials and devices, especially without deleteriously affecting of semiconductor integrated circuits.

It was particularly surprising that the cleaning compositions according to the invention were excellently suited for processing substrates useful for fabricating electrical devices, in particular, semiconductor integrated circuits (ICs); liquid crystal panels; organic electroluminescent panels; printed circuit boards; micro machines; DNA chips; micro plants and magnetic heads; more preferably ICs with LSI (large-scale integration) or VLSI (very-large-scale integration); as well as optical devices, in particular, optical glasses such as photo-masks, lenses and prisms; inorganic electro-conductive films such as indium tin oxide (ITO); optical integrated circuits; optical switching elements; optical waveguides; optical monocrystals such as the end faces of optical fibers and scintillators; solid laser monocrystals; sapphire substrates for blue laser LEDs; semiconductor monocrystals; and glass substrates for magnetic disks.

Further details, modifications and advantages of the present invention are explained in the attached set of claims as well as in the following description and the examples.

A composition according to the present invention is preferred, wherein the pH of the composition is in the range of from 7.5 to 10, preferably in the range of from 7.5 to 9.5, more preferably in the range of from 7.5 to 9.0, more preferably in the range of from 8.0 to 9.5, more preferably in the range of from 8.0 to 9.0.

It has become apparent that the pH of the composition of the present invention is an important feature for the cleaning performance, and it can be observed that particularly good cleaning results of substrates that contain or consist of cobalt or cobalt alloys are achieved in the above specified pH ranges.

A composition according to the present invention is preferred, wherein said nonionic polymer (A) is selected from the group consisting of polypropylene oxides (PPO), polypropylene glycols, polyethylene oxides (PEO), and polyethylene glycols (PEG), preferably wherein said nonionic polymer (A) is polyethylene glycol (PEG).

A composition according to the present invention is preferred, wherein said nonionic polymer (A) has a mass average molar mass (Mw) in the range of from 400 to 8,000 g/mol, preferably in the range of from 600 to 4,000 g/mol, more preferably in the range of from 600 to 2,000 g/mol, more preferably in the range of from 600 to 1500 g/mol. The value of the integer n of formula (I) corresponds to the mass average molar mass (Mw) of the nonionic polymer (A).

A composition according to the present invention is preferred, wherein said nonionic polymer (A) is a polyethylene glycol (PEG) with a mass average molar mass (Mw) in the range of from 400 to 8,000 g/mol, preferably in the range of from 600 to 4,000 g/mol, more preferably in the range of from 600 to 2,000 g/mol, more preferably in the range of from 600 to 1500 g/mol.

A composition according to the present invention is preferred, wherein said polyethylene glycol (PEG) (used as component (A)) has one or more, preferably all of the following properties:

-   -   dynamic viscosity of less than 30 mPas, preferably less than         28.5 mPas at 99° C. (measured according to DIN EN 12092,         preferably according to DIN EN 12092:2002-02),

and/or

-   -   a pH of 7.0 of a 5 wt. % aqueous solution or dispersion, wherein         the PEG is dissolved or dispersed in water.

The above listed properties of the preferred polyethylene glycol (PEG) are features that the polymer shows as a separate component prior to its use in the composition.

A composition according to the present invention is preferred, wherein said anionic polymer (B) is an acrylic acid-maleic acid copolymer with a mass average molar mass (Mw) of up to 10,000 g/mol, preferably up to 7,000 g/mol, more preferably up to 4,000 g/mol.

It was surprisingly found that the cleaning compositions with the above specified anionic polymer (B) are especially suitable for efficiently removing post-CMP residues and contaminants from a substrate that contains or consists of cobalt or cobalt alloys without deleteriously affecting the electrical materials and devices.

A composition according to the present invention is preferred, wherein said anionic polymer of component (B) is an acrylic acid-maleic acid copolymer which has one or more, preferably all of the following properties:

-   -   dynamic viscosity of less than 45 mPas, preferably less than 35         mPas at 23° C. (measured according to DIN EN ISO 2555,         preferably according to DIN EN ISO 2555:2000-01),

and/or

-   -   a pH between 1.3 and 1.7, preferably 1.5 of a 5 wt. % aqueous         solution or dispersion, wherein the acrylic acid-maleic acid         copolymer is dissolved or dispersed in water, and/or     -   mass average molar mass (Mw) in the range from 2,500 g/mol to         3,500 g/mol, preferably in the range from 2,800 g/mol to 3,200         g/mol,

and/or

-   -   density in the range of from 1.15 g/cm³ and 1.3 g/cm³,         preferably 1.23 g/cm³.

The above listed properties of the preferred acrylic acid-maleic acid copolymer are features that the polymer shows as a separate component prior to its use in the composition; this applies in particular to the pH, the dynamic viscosity, and the density.

Particularly preferred is a composition according to the present invention, further (i.e. additionally) comprising

(D) one, two or more corrosion inhibitors.

Particularly preferred is a composition according to the present invention, wherein the total amount of said corrosion inhibitors (D) is in the range of from 0.001 wt.-% to 3 wt.-%, preferably in the range of from 0.001 wt.-% to 1.5 wt.-%, more preferably 0.001 wt.-% to 0.5 wt.-%, most preferred 0.001 wt.-% to 0.1 wt.-%, based on the total weight of the composition.

Corrosion inhibitors protect the substrate from oxidation and corrosion. The corrosion inhibitors are preferably film-forming corrosion inhibitors effective in forming a film on the metal of the semiconductor work-piece that protects the metal from chemical, galvanic and/or photo-induced oxidation during and after the cleaning step.

Preferred corrosion inhibitors (D) are selected from the group consisting of acetylcysteine, N-acyl-sarcosines, preferably N-oleoylsarcosine or N-dodecanoyl-N-methylglycine, alkylsulfonic acids (e.g. with a chain length of less than 10 carbon atoms), alkyl-aryl sulfonic acids, preferably dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid, isophthalic acid, alkyl phosphates, polyaspartic acid, imidazole and its derivatives, preferably imidazole, polyethylenimine with a mass average molar mass (Mw) in the range of from 200 to 2,000 g/mol, derivatives of triazoles, preferably benzotriazole derivatives, more preferably benzotriazol and 2,2′-(((5-Methyl-1H-benzotriazol-1-yl)methyl)imino)bisethanol, and derivatives of ethylene diamine, preferably N,N,N′,N′-tetrakis(2-hydroxypropyl)ethylenediamine.

Particularly preferred is a composition according to the present invention, further (i.e. additionally) comprising

(E) one, two or more defoamers.

Particularly preferred is a composition according to the present invention, wherein the total amount of said defoamers (E) is in the range of from 0.01 wt.-% to 0.5 wt.-%, based on the total weight of the composition.

A composition according to the present invention is preferred, wherein the defoamers (E) are selected from the group consisting of N-octyl pyrrolidone, monoglycerides of fatty acids, diglycerides of fatty acids, tri-n-butyl phosphate, tri-iso-butyl phosphate, methanol and primary, secondary or tertiary alcohols (preferably aliphatic alcohols) having 2 to 12 carbon atoms, preferably hexanol. Alcohols, preferably aliphatic alcohols having 2 to 12 carbon atoms, preferably hexanol, are especially preferred in a composition according to the present invention.

Particularly preferred is a composition according to the present invention, further (i.e. additionally) comprising

(F) a base, wherein said base (F) is preferably

-   a) potassium hydroxide

or

-   b) free of tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) and tetraethyl     ammonium hydroxide (TEAH), preferably free of quaternary ammonium     cations.

It is particularly preferred, if the composition according to the invention does not comprise any compound with the formula NR₁R₂R₃R₄OH, wherein R₁, R₂, R₃ and R₄ may be the same as or different from one another and are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, straight-chained or branched C1-C6 alkyl (e.g., methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl, and hexyl), and substituted or unsubstituted C5-C10 aryl, e.g., benzyl. It is especially preferred if the composition according to the invention does not comprise any compound selected from the group consisting of tetramethylammonium hydroxide, tetrapropylammonium hydroxide, tetrabutylammonium hydroxide, tetraethylammonium hydroxide, benzyltriethylammonium hydroxide, benzyltrimethylammonium hydroxide, tributylmethylammonium hydroxide, choline hydroxide, ammonium hydroxide, (2-hydroxyethyl) trimethylammonium hydroxide, (2-hydroxyethyl) triethylammonium hydroxide, (2-hydroxyethyl) tripropylammonium hydroxide, (1-hydroxypropyl) trimethylammonium hydroxide, ethyltrimethylammonium hydroxide, and diethyldimethylammonium hydroxide.

It was surprisingly found that cleaning compositions according to the invention which do not comprise quaternary ammonium cations or compounds with the formula NR₁R₂R₃R₄OH as specified above are particularly environmentally friendly.

A composition according to the present invention is preferred, wherein all constituents of the cleaning composition are in the liquid phase, wherein preferably all constituents of the cleaning composition are in the same liquid phase.

It was surprisingly found that cleaning compositions, wherein all constituents of the cleaning composition are already in the same liquid phase are particularly easy to use, especially because it is not necessary do dissolve solid particles prior use. Compositions, wherein all constituents of the cleaning composition are already in the same liquid phase can be directly used out of the storage tank.

A composition according to the present invention is preferred, wherein the composition has a sodium cation concentration of less than 500 ppm, preferably less than 100 ppm.

As used herein, “contaminants” correspond to chemicals or materials present in the CMP slurry, reaction by-products of the polishing slurry, and any other materials that are the by-products of the CMP process, such as metal oxides, metal ions and complexes thereof, organic residues, inorganic particles, silica-containing particles, carbon-rich particles, polishing pad particles, and any other materials that are the by-products of the CMP process.

As used herein, “residue” corresponds to materials, particles, chemicals, and reaction by-products generated or added during the manufacture of a microelectronic device before the CMP process, including, but not limited to, plasma etching, ashing, wet etching, and combinations thereof.

The term “substrate” designates any construction comprising semiconductive material and/or metal layers on semiconductive materials, especially cobalt or cobalt alloy layers on semiconductive materials, including, but not limited to, bulk semiconductive materials such as a semiconductive wafer (either alone or in assemblies comprising cobalt or a cobalt alloy and/or other materials thereon), and semiconductive material layers (either alone or in assemblies comprising cobalt or a cobalt alloy and/or other materials thereon).

A composition according to the present invention is preferably suitable for the cleaning of semiconductor devices, especially for the cleaning of semiconductor devices comprising cobalt or a cobalt alloy.

As used herein, “semiconductor devices” corresponds to electrical devices or materials, in particular, semiconductor integrated circuits (ICs); liquid crystal panels; organic electroluminescent panels; printed circuit boards; micro machines; DNA chips; micro plants and magnetic heads; more preferably ICs with LSI (large-scale integration) or VLSI (very-large-scale integration); as well as optical devices, in particular, optical glasses such as photo-masks, lenses and prisms; inorganic electro-conductive films such as indium tin oxide (ITO); optical integrated circuits; optical switching elements; optical waveguides; optical monocrystals such as the end faces of optical fibers and scintillators; solid laser monocrystals; sapphire substrates for blue laser LEDs; semiconductor monocrystals; and glass substrates for magnetic discs.

A post chemical-mechanical-polishing (post-CMP) cleaning composition according to the invention is preferred, wherein the composition consists of:

-   (A) one or more nonionic polymers selected from the group consisting     of polyacrylamides, polyhydroxyethylmethacrylates (PHEMA),     polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polypropylene     oxides (PPO), polypropylene glycol, polyethylene oxides (PEO),     polyethylene glycol (PEG), and mixtures thereof, preferably wherein     said nonionic polymer (A) is polyethylene glycol (PEG), -   (B) poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) or acrylic acid-maleic acid copolymer     with a mass average molar mass (Mw) of up to 10,000 g/mol, -   (C) water, -   (D) optionally one, two or more corrosion inhibitors, preferably     selected from the group consisting of acetylcysteine,     N-acyl-sarcosines, preferably N-oleoylsarcosine or     N-dodecanoyl-N-methylglycine, alkylsulfonic acids, alkyl-aryl     sulfonic acids, preferably dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid, isophthalic     acid, alkyl phosphates, polyaspartic acid, imidazole and its     derivatives (preferably imidazole), polyethylenimine with a mass     average molar mass (Mw) in the range of from 200 to 2,000 g/mol,     derivatives of triazoles, preferably benzotriazole derivatives, more     preferably benzotriazol and     2,2′-(((5-Methyl-1H-benzotriazol-1-yl)methyl)imino)bisethanol, and     derivatives of ethylene diamine, preferably     N,N,N′,N′-tetrakis(2-hydroxypropyl)ethylenediamine, -   (E) optionally one, two or more defoamers, preferably selected from     the group consisting of N-octyl pyrrolidone, monoglycerides of fatty     acids, diglycerides of fatty acids, tri-n-butyl phosphate,     tri-iso-butyl phosphate, and primary, secondary or tertiary alcohols     having 2 to 12 carbon atoms, preferably hexanol, and -   (F) optionally a base, preferably potassium hydroxide,

wherein the pH of the composition is in the range of from 7.0 to 10.5.

A post chemical-mechanical-polishing (post-CMP) cleaning composition according to the invention is preferred, wherein the composition comprises:

-   (A) polyethylene glycol (PEG) with a mass average molar mass (Mw) in     the range of from 400 to 8,000 g/mol, preferably in the range of     from 600 to 4,000 g/mol, more preferably in the range of from 600 to     2,000 g/mol, more preferably in the range of from 600 to 1500 g/mol, -   (B) acrylic acid-maleic acid copolymer with a mass average molar     mass (Mw) of up to 10,000 g/mol, -   (C) water, -   (D) optionally one, two or more corrosion inhibitors, preferably     selected from the group consisting of acetylcysteine,     N-acyl-sarcosines, preferably N-oleoylsarcosine or     N-dodecanoyl-N-methylglycine, alkylsulfonic acids, alkyl-aryl     sulfonic acids, preferably dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid, isophthalic     acid, alkyl phosphates, polyaspartic acid, imidazole and its     derivatives (preferably imidazole), polyethylenimine with a mass     average molar mass (Mw) in the range of from 200 to 2,000 g/mol,     derivatives of triazoles, preferably benzotriazole derivatives, more     preferably benzotriazol and     2,2′-(((5-Methyl-1H-benzotriazol-1-yl)methyl)imino)bisethanol, and     derivatives of ethylene diamine, preferably     N,N,N′,N′-tetrakis(2-hydroxypropyl)ethylenediamine, -   (E) optionally one, two or more defoamers, preferably selected from     the group consisting of N-octyl pyrrolidone, monoglycerides of fatty     acids, diglycerides of fatty acids, tri-n-butyl phosphate,     tri-iso-butyl phosphate, and primary, secondary or tertiary alcohols     having 2 to 12 carbon atoms, preferably hexanol, and -   (F) optionally a base, preferably potassium hydroxide,

wherein the pH of the composition is in the range of from 7.0 to 10.5, preferably in the range of from 7.5 to 9.5, more preferably in the range of from 7.5 to 9.0, more preferably in the range of from 8.0 to 9.5, more preferably in the range of from 8.0 to 9.0.

A post chemical-mechanical-polishing (post-CMP) cleaning composition according to the invention is preferred, wherein the composition consists of:

-   (A) polyethylene glycol (PEG) with a mass average molar mass (Mw) in     the range of from 400 to 8,000 g/mol, preferably in the range of     from 600 to 4,000 g/mol, more preferably in the range of from 600 to     2,000 g/mol, more preferably in the range of from 600 to 1500 g/mol, -   (B) acrylic acid-maleic acid copolymer with a mass average molar     mass (Mw) of up to 10,000 g/mol, -   (C) water, -   (D) optionally one, two or more corrosion inhibitors, preferably     selected from the group consisting of acetylcysteine,     N-acyl-sarcosines, preferably N-oleoylsarcosine or     N-dodecanoyl-N-methylglycine, alkylsulfonic acids, alkyl-aryl     sulfonic acids, preferably dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid, isophthalic     acid, alkyl phosphates, polyaspartic acid, imidazole and its     derivatives (preferably imidazole), polyethylenimine with a mass     average molar mass (Mw) in the range of from 200 to 2,000 g/mol,     derivatives of triazoles, preferably benzotriazole derivatives, more     preferably benzotriazol and     2,2′-(((5-Methyl-1H-benzotriazol-1-yl)methyl)imino)bisethanol, and     derivatives of ethylene diamine, preferably     N,N,N′,N′-tetrakis(2-hydroxypropyl)ethylenediamine, -   (E) optionally one, two or more defoamers, preferably selected from     the group consisting of, N-octyl pyrrolidone, monoglycerides of     fatty acids, diglycerides of fatty acids, tri-n-butyl phosphate,     tri-iso-butyl phosphate, and primary, secondary or tertiary alcohols     having 2 to 12 carbon atoms, preferably hexanol, and -   (F) optionally a base, preferably potassium hydroxide,

wherein the pH of the composition is in the range of from 7.0 to 10.5, preferably in the range of from 7.5 to 9.5, more preferably in the range of from 7.5 to 9.0, more preferably in the range of from 8.0 to 9.5, more preferably in the range of from 8.0 to 9.0.

Particularly preferred are post-CMP cleaning compositions according to the present invention, wherein two or more of the above defined preferred features are combined. Further preferably, one, two, three or each of the constituents (A) to (F) of the post-CMP cleaning compositions according to the present invention are present in the form of one of the preferred embodiments of said constituent and/or in the preferred concentration range of said constituent.

For certain applications, a composition according to the present invention is preferred, wherein the composition is a ready-to-use post chemical-mechanical-polishing (post-CMP) cleaning composition, comprising:

-   (A) a total amount of the one or more nonionic polymers in a range     of from 0.001 to 0.125 wt.-%, preferably 0.001 to 0.09 wt.-%, based     on the total weight of the composition,

and

-   (B) a total amount of the poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and acrylic     acid-maleic acid copolymer in a range of from 0.001 to 0.125 wt.-%,     preferably 0.001 to 0.09 wt.-%, based on the total weight of the     composition.

For certain applications, a composition according to the present invention is preferred, wherein the composition is a post chemical-mechanical-polishing (post-CMP) cleaning composition concentrate, comprising:

-   (A) a total amount of the one or more nonionic polymers in a range     of from 0.1 to 7.5 wt.-%, preferably 0.1 to 5 wt.-%, more preferably     0.1 to 3 wt.-%, based on the total weight of the composition,

and

-   (B) a total amount of the poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and acrylic     acid-maleic acid copolymer in a range of from 0.1 to 7.5 wt.-%,     preferably 0.1 to 5 wt.-%, more preferably 0.1 to 3 wt.-%, based on     the total weight of the composition.

A composition according to the present invention is preferred, wherein the mass ratio of constituent (A) and constituent (B) is in the range of from 1:50 to 50:1, preferably from 1:30 to 30:1, more preferably from 1:5 to 5:1.

A post chemical-mechanical-polishing (post-CMP) cleaning composition concentrate according to the invention is preferred, wherein the composition consists of:

-   (A) a total amount of the one or more nonionic polymers in a range     of from 0.1 to 7.5 wt.-%, preferably 0.1 to 5 wt.-%, more preferably     0.1 to 3 wt.-%, based on the total weight of the composition, -   (B) a total amount of the poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and acrylic     acid-maleic acid, in a range of from 0.1 to 7.5 wt.-%, preferably     0.1 to 5 wt.-%, more preferably 0.1 to 3 wt.-%, based on the total     weight of the composition. -   (C) a total amount of water in a range of from 99.8 to 75 wt.-%,     based on the total weight of the composition, -   (D) optionally a total amount of one, two or more corrosion     inhibitors, preferably selected from the group consisting of     acetylcysteine, N-acyl-sarcosines, preferably N-oleoylsarcosine or     N-dodecanoyl-N-methylglycine, alkylsulfonic acids, alkyl-aryl     sulfonic acids, preferably dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid, isophthalic     acid, alkyl phosphates, polyaspartic acid, imidazole and its     derivatives (preferably imidazole), polyethylenimine with a mass     average molar mass (Mw) in the range of from 200 to 2,000 g/mol,     derivatives of triazoles, preferably benzotriazole derivatives, more     preferably benzotriazol and     2,2′-(((5-Methyl-1H-benzotriazol-1-yl)methyl)imino)bisethanol, and     derivatives of ethylene diamine, preferably     N,N,N′,N′-tetrakis(2-hydroxypropyl)ethylenediamine, in the range of     from 0.001 wt.-% to 3 wt.-%, preferably in the range of from 0.001     wt.-% to 1.5 wt.-%, more preferably 0.001 wt.-% to 0.5 wt.-%, most     preferred 0.001 wt.-% to 0.1 wt-%, based on the total weight of the     composition, -   (E) optionally a total amount of one, two or more defoamers,     preferably selected from the group consisting of, N-octyl     pyrrolidone, monoglycerides of fatty acids, diglycerides of fatty     acids, tri-n-butyl phosphate, tri-iso-butyl phosphate, and primary,     secondary or tertiary alcohols having 2 to 12 carbon atoms,     preferably hexanol, in the range of from 0.01 wt.-% to 0.5 wt.-%,     based on the total weight of the composition, and -   (F) optionally a total amount of a base, preferably potassium     hydroxide in a range of from 0 to 6.5 wt.-%, based on the total     weight of the composition,

wherein the pH of the composition is in the range of from 7.0 to 10.5, preferably in the range of from 7.5 to 9.5, more preferably in the range of from 7.5 to 9.0, more preferably in the range of from 8.0 to 9.5, more preferably in the range of from 8.0 to 9.0.

A ready-to-use post chemical-mechanical-polishing (post-CMP) cleaning composition according to the invention is preferred, wherein the composition consists of:

-   (A) a total amount of polyethylene glycol (PEG) with a mass average     molar mass (Mw) in the range of from 400 to 8,000 g/mol, preferably     in the range of from 600 to 4,000 g/mol, more preferably in the     range of from 600 to 2,000 g/mol, more preferably in the range of     from 600 to 1500 g/mol, in a range of from 0.001 to 0.15 wt.-%,     preferably 0.001 to 0.09 wt.-%, based on the total weight of the     composition, -   (B) a total amount of the poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and acrylic     acid-maleic acid copolymer with a mass average molar mass (Mw) of up     to 10,000 g/mol, in a range of from 0.001 to 0.15 wt.-%, preferably     0.001 to 0.09 wt.-%, based on the total weight of the composition. -   (C) a total amount of water in a range of from 99.998 to 99.5 wt.-%,     based on the total weight of the composition, -   (D) optionally a total amount of one, two or more corrosion     inhibitors, preferably selected from the group consisting of     acetylcysteine, N-acyl-sarcosines, preferably N-oleoylsarcosine or     N-dodecanoyl-N-methylglycine, alkylsulfonic acids, alkyl-aryl     sulfonic acids, preferably dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid, isophthalic     acid, alkyl phosphates, polyaspartic acid, imidazole and its     derivatives (preferably imidazole), polyethylenimine with a mass     average molar mass (Mw) in the range of from 200 to 2,000 g/mol,     derivatives of triazoles, preferably benzotriazole derivatives, more     preferably benzotriazol and     2,2′-(((5-Methyl-1H-benzotriazol-1-yl)methyl)imino)bisethanol, and     derivatives of ethylene diamine, preferably     N,N,N′,N′-tetrakis(2-hydroxypropyl)ethylenediamine, in the range of     from 0.00001 wt.-% to 0.075 wt.-%, preferably in the range of from     0.00001 wt.-% to 0.0375 wt.-%, more preferably 0.00001 wt.-% to     0.0125 wt.-%, most preferred 0.00001 wt.-% to 0.0025 wt.-%, based on     the total weight of the composition, -   (E) optionally a total amount of one, two or more defoamers,     preferably selected from the group consisting of, N-octyl     pyrrolidone, monoglycerides of fatty acids, diglycerides of fatty     acids, tri-n-butyl phosphate, tri-iso-butyl phosphate, and primary,     secondary or tertiary alcohols having 2 to 12 carbon atoms,     preferably hexanol, in the range of from 0.0001 wt.-% to 0.0125     wt-%, based on the total weight of the composition, and -   (F) optionally a total amount of a base, preferably potassium     hydroxide in a range of from 0 to 0.1625 wt.-%, based on the total     weight of the composition,

wherein the pH of the composition is in the range of from 7.0 to 10.5, preferably in the range of from 7.5 to 9.5, more preferably in the range of from 7.5 to 9.0, more preferably in the range of from 8.0 to 9.5, more preferably in the range of from 8.0 to 9.0.

A composition according to the present invention is preferably suitable for removing residues and contaminants from a substrate, preferably a metal-comprising substrate, more preferably a substrate that contains or consists of cobalt or a cobalt alloy.

It is preferred that the post-CMP cleaning composition is produced, distributed, and stored in a concentrated form and is diluted prior to use to obtain a ready to use post post-CMP cleaning composition, preferably by diluting with water. Thereby it is preferred that one part by weight of a post-CMP cleaning composition concentrate is diluted with 50 or more parts by weight of the diluent, preferably with 75 or more parts by weight, more preferably with 100 parts or more by weight. Most preferably the diluent is water having an electrical resistivity of above 18MΩ at 25° C. and/or a total organic carbon (TOC) amount of less than 10 ppb.

Substances which because of their structure at the same time fall under the definition of various constituents of a post-CMP cleaning composition according to the invention for quantitative considerations must be assigned in each case to all these constituents. For example, if a composition according to the invention contains in or as constituent (F) one or more bases which at the same time fall under the definition of any other constituent defined herein, for the purpose of quantitative considerations these bases must be assigned to constituent (F) as well as said other constituent(s).

A further aspect of the present invention is the use of a composition according to the invention (as defined above, preferably designated above as being preferred)

as cobalt post chemical-mechanical-polishing cleaner

and/or

for cleaning a substrate comprising cobalt, preferably after chemical-mechanical-polishing

and/or

for removing residues and contaminants from the surface of a semiconductor substrate comprising cobalt or a cobalt alloy.

In a further aspect, the present invention relates to a process for the manufacture of a semiconductor device from a semiconductor substrate comprising the step of removing residues and contaminants from the surface of the semiconductor substrate by contacting it at least once with a cleaning composition according to the invention.

A process according to the present invention is preferred, wherein the surface is a cobalt or a cobalt alloy comprising surface.

A preferred process according to the present invention further comprises the step of a chemical-mechanical-polishing (CMP), wherein the step of removing residues and contaminants is performed preferably after the chemical-mechanical-polishing (CMP).

In a preferred process according to the present invention, the semiconductor substrate is rinsed one, two, three or more times with the cleaning composition according to the invention, preferably after a chemical-mechanical-polishing (CMP) step. The rinse conditions are generally 10 seconds to 5 minutes rinsing at a temperature in the range of from 20 to 40° C., preferably 30 seconds to 2 minutes rinsing at a temperature in the range of from 20 to 40° C.

In another preferred process according to the present invention, the semiconductor substrate is submerged in or dipped into the cleaning composition according to the invention, and the substrate is preferably cleaned by a megasonic or ultrasonic or Marangoni process while in contact with the cleaning composition.

After the CMP step, the surface of the semiconductor wafer is contacted with a composition of the invention for a time and a temperature sufficient to remove the undesired contaminants and residues from the substrate surface. Optionally, the substrate is then rinsed to remove the composition of the invention and the contaminants and residues and dried to remove any excess liquids like solvents or rinsing agents.

Preferably, in the process according to the invention a bath or a spray application is used to expose the substrate to the cleaning composition according to the invention preferably after a chemical-mechanical-polishing (CMP) step. Bath or spray cleaning times are generally one minute to 30 minutes, preferably 5 minutes to 20 minutes. Bath or spray cleaning temperatures are generally performed at a temperature in the range of from 10° C. to 90° C., preferably in the range of from 20° C. to 50° C. However, megasonic and ultrasonic cleaning, preferably megasonic cleaning methods, can also be applied.

If required, the drying of the substrates can be accomplished by using any combination of air-evaporation, heat, spinning or pressurized gas. The preferred drying technique is spinning under a filtered inert gas flow, such as nitrogen, until the substrate is dry.

The molecular mass, especially the mass average molar mass (Mw), of the polymers used in the composition according to the present invention is determined by gel permeation chromatography.

EXAMPLES AND COMPARATIVE EXAMPLES

The invention is hereinafter further illustrated by means of examples and comparison examples.

Examples 1 to 12 Example 1

For the preparation of 20,000 g of a post-CMP cleaning composition concentrate, 14,000 g of pure water with an electrical resistivity of above 18 MO at 25° C. and a total organic carbon (TOC) amount of less than 10 ppb were provided. The water was stirred and 500 g polyethylene glycol (PEG) with a mass average molar mass (Mw) of 1,500 g/mol (Pluriol 1500) were added and the solution was stirred for at least 20 minutes until the polyethylene glycol (PEG) was dissolved. Subsequently, 2,000 g of an aqueous solution (25 wt.-%) of an acrylic acid-maleic acid copolymer (Planapur 12 SEG) were added to the solution and the solution was stirred for further 20 minutes. The pH value of the solution was adjusted to a desired value of 7.5 by adding of an aqueous potassium hydroxide solution (48 wt.-%). The resulting solution was filled up with pure water to an overall weight of 20,000 g.

Examples 2 to 12

The post-CMP cleaning composition concentrates of the examples 2 to 12 were prepared analogously to example 1 by mixing their ingredients. The Table 1 summarizes their compositions.

TABLE 1 The compositions of the post-CMP cleaning composition concentrate (Balance: Water) etching rate Example constituent constituent constituent constituent [Å/min] AFM No. (A) (B) (D) (F) pH Co measurement 1 PEG M_(w) Sokalan CP — KOH 7.5 9.5 good 1500; 12 S; 2.5 wt.-% 2.5 wt.-% 2 PEG M_(w) Sokalan CP Sarkosyl O; KOH 9.0 7.3 good 1500; 12 S; 0.1 wt.-% 2.5 wt.-% 2.5 wt.-% 3 PEG M_(w) Sokalan CP Sarkosyl O; KOH 7.5 1.6 good 1500; 12 S; 0.75 wt.-% 2.5 wt.-% 2.5 wt.-% Imidazol; 2.5 wt.-% 4 PEG M_(w) Sokalan CP Imidazol; KOH 7.5 0.0 good 1500; 12 S; 2.5 wt.-%; 2.5 wt.-% 2.5 wt.-% Sarkosyl O: 0.75 wt.-%; Quadrol L: 0.75 wt.-% 5 PVA Sokalan CP Sarkosyl O: 12 S; 0.75 wt.-%; 2.5 wt.-% 6 PAAm Sokalan CP Sarkosyl O: 12 S; 0.75 wt.-%; 2.5 wt.-% 7 PVP Sokalan CP Sarkosyl O: 12 S; 0.75 wt.-%; 2.5 wt.-% 8 PEG/PEO Sokalan CP Sarkosyl O: 12 S; 0.75 wt.-%; 2.5 wt.-% 9 PVA Sokalan CP DBSA 0.75 + 12 S; BTA 2.5 wt.-% 2.5 wt.-% 10 PAAm Sokalan CP DBSA 0.75 + 12 S; BTA 2.5 wt.-% 2.5 wt.-% 11 PVP Sokalan CP DBSA 0.75 + 12 S; BTA 2.5 wt.-% 2.5 wt.-% 12 PEG/PEO Sokalan CP DBSA 0.75 + 12 S; BTA 2.5 wt.-% 2.5 wt.-%

Comparative Examples 1 to 4

The compositions of comparative examples 1 to 4 were prepared analogously to example 1 by mixing their ingredients. The Table 2 summarizes their compositions.

TABLE 2 The compositions of comparative examples 1 to 4 (Balance: Water) etching Comparative rate Example [Å/min] AFM No. constituent 1 constituent 2 constituent 3 constituent 4 pH Co measurement 1 — — — KOH 8.5 6.7 bad 2 PEG M_(w) KOH 8.5 2.9 bad 1500; 2.5 wt.-% 3 Sokalan KOH 8.5 7.5 bad CP 12 S; 2.5 wt.-% 4 Sokalan CaCl₂ KOH 8.5 15 bad CP 12 S; 5 wt.-% 2.5 wt.-%

Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) Measurements:

For determining cleaning efficiency with Atomic force microscopy (AFM), a 2.5×2.5 cm Co (deposited on silicon by a chemical vapor deposition process) wafer coupon which was polished with a BTA and colloidal silica containing barrier CMP Slurry was rinsed with ultra-pure water for 10 s, subsequently dipped for 30 s in a beaker with above mentioned cleaning solutions and stirred with a magnetic stirrer for 30 s (300 rpm). After a final rinsing step for 10 s with ultra-pure water, the coupon was dried with nitrogen flow and submitted to an AFM tool (Bruker ICON, Germany) using tapping mode and a 5×5 μm area with appropriate resolution. The results of the AFM measurement were evaluated and the results were classified in the categories good (few particles), medium (some particles), and bad (many particles). The results are shown in table 1 and 2.

The Etching Rates of the Compositions:

The etching rates of the compositions of the examples 1 to 8 and comparative examples 1 to 4 were measured. All coupons were measured before regarding the thickness of the Co layer by using a 4-point probe device as mentioned below. The above mentioned cobalt coupons were pretreated with a 3% citric acid solution for 5 min to remove native oxide. After rinsing with ultra-pure water, the coupon was immersed in above described PCC solutions for 5 minutes using an agitation by a magnetic stirrer (300 rpm). After removing from the etching bath, the coupons were rinsed with deionized water and the thickness was measured with a 4 point probe device supplied by Napson Corporation, Japan (RG2000). The etching rates (in Angstroms per minute) were calculated. The results are shown in table 1 and 2. 

1: A post chemical-mechanical-polishing (post-CMP) cleaning composition comprising: (A) one or more nonionic polymers selected from the group consisting of polyacrylamides, polyhydroxyethyl(meth)acrylates (PHE(M)A), polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polymers of formula (I), and mixtures thereof,

wherein R1 is hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, iso-propyl, n-butyl, iso-butyl, or sec-butyl, R₂ is hydrogen or methyl, and n is an integer, (B) a poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) or acrylic acid-maleic acid copolymer with a mass average molar mass (Mw) of up to 10,000 g/mol, and (C) water, wherein the pH of the composition is in the range of from 7.0 to 10.5. 2: The composition according to claim 1, wherein the pH of the composition is in the range of from 7.5 to
 10. 3: The composition according to claim 1, wherein said nonionic polymer (A) is selected from the group consisting of polypropylene oxides (PPO), polypropylene glycols, polyethylene oxides (PEO), polyethylene glycols (PEG), and polyethylene glycols (PEG). 4: The composition according to claim 1, wherein said polymer (B) is an acrylic acid-maleic acid copolymer with a mass average molar mass (Mw) of up to 10,000 g/mol. 5: The composition according to claim 1, further comprising (D) one or more corrosion inhibitors. 6: The composition according to claim 5, wherein the corrosion inhibitors (D) are selected from the group consisting of acetylcysteine, N-acyl-sarcosines, alkylsulfonic acids, alkyl-aryl sulfonic acids, isophthalic acid, alkyl phosphates, polyaspartic acid, imidazole and its derivatives, polyethylenimine with a mass average molar mass (Mw) in the range of from 200 to 2,000 g/mol, derivatives of triazoles, and derivatives of ethylene diamine. 7: The composition according to claim 1, further comprising (E) one or more defoamers. 8: The composition according to claim 1, further comprising (F) a base. 9: The composition according to claim 1, wherein all constituents of the cleaning composition are in a liquid phase. 10: The composition according to claim 1, which is suitable for a) removing residues and contaminants from a substrate, and/or b) the cleaning of semiconductor devices. 11: The composition according to claim 1, wherein the composition is a ready-to-use post chemical-mechanical-polishing (post-CMP) cleaning composition, comprising: (A) a total amount of the one or more nonionic polymers in a range of from 0.001 to 0.15 wt.-%, based on the total weight of the composition, and (B) a total amount of the poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and acrylic acid-maleic acid copolymer in a range of from 0.001 to 0.15 wt.-%, based on the total weight of the composition. 12: The composition according to claim 1, wherein the composition is a post chemical-mechanical-polishing (post-CMP) cleaning composition concentrate, comprising: (A) a total amount of the one or more nonionic polymers in a range of from 0.1 to 7.5 wt.-%, based on the total weight of the composition, and (B) a total amount of the poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and acrylic acid-maleic acid copolymer in a range of from 0.1 to 7.5 wt.-%, based on the total weight of the composition.
 13. (canceled) 14: A process for the manufacture of a semiconductor device from a semiconductor substrate, comprising removing residues and contaminants from the surface of the semiconductor substrate by contacting it at least once with a composition according to claim
 1. 15: The process according to claim 14, further comprising chemical-mechanical-polishing (CMP). 